AS Roma routs Zaglebie Lubin in friendly at Wrigley

Coach expected more from his team

AS Roma's Aleandro Rosi gets ready for a throw in while playing Zaglebie Lubin during a soccer friendly at Wrigley Field. (Scott Strazzante/Tribune Photo)

AS Roma seemed to feel right at home in Wrigley Field's friendly confines Sunday.

The Italian side piled up four first-half goals and dominated Zaglebie Lubin most of the way in a 4-0 victory that marked the return of soccer to the landmark ballpark after an absence of nearly 28 years.

But Roma manager Zdenek Zeman said his team — making its first stop in a three-city U.S. tour — could have played much better.

"I'm not very happy with the game we played," Zeman said. "We were good enough to convert the first three chances that we had, but as far as the game is concerned, I'm not very satisfied."

The Friendly at the Confines international soccer clash drew an announced crowd of 22,181, including vocal partisans on both sides.

Roma forward Pablo Daniel Osvaldo scored in the first minute and three teammates added separate goals over the next 42 minutes in an effort the Polish side couldn't match.

Osvaldo, Roma's 2011-12 scoring leader with 11 goals, took a short cross from Bojan Krkic and punched a short shot past Zaglebie Lubin goalie Marek Koziol, making his debut with the Polish squad's first team.

Midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis added a tally 17 minutes later after a steal as he looped a long shot over Koziol. Forward Erik Lamela made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, assisted by midfielder Miralem Pjanic and Michael Bradley.

Krkic added a goal to his production in the 43rd minute with a short shot angled to Koziol's right.

Team captain Francesco Totti, a second-half substitute, had an open look in the 69th minute but his shot hit the right post.

Bradley, the U.S. national team veteran and newest Roma acquisition, was in the starting lineup and played until the 67th minute.

"He played well," Zeman said . "He knows Italian football and that helped the team a lot."

Zaglebie Lubin had several near-miss opportunities and others were handled by veteran Roma goalie Maarten Stekelenburg, who recorded seven saves.

Stekelenburg said the Wrigley Field turf, including an infield converted to grass, felt dry and uneven.

"I have played on better fields," he said. "(But) it was nice, a lot of people came to this game and it was a nice day."